CTV Vancouver
While thousands of wolves live throughout B.C., they rarely venture close to cities. Now a wolfpack has been spotted just minutes outside of Kamloops.
This week the wolves were captured on camera a mere fifteen minutes from the city.
Frank Ritcey, provincial coordinator of conservation group WildSafe BC, set up trail cameras after sighting one wolf in the Lac du Bois grasslands several weeks ago. He said the fields near the trail are home to many mice, voles and turtle eggs. Ritcey has seen bears and big cats in the area, but said spotting a wolf nearby is rare.
“The hills right behind us here, they do have a healthy wolf population and periodically they move down searching for food for their young,” he said.
Though attacks against human are unlikely, Ritcey said it is important for people to be aware that wolves are in the area and be vigilant.
“Realistically, wolves have the best track record of any wildlife in terms of attacks on humans,” he said.
He warns dog owners to keep their pets on a leash until the wolf pack moves on to follow their food supply.
“They’ll feed on the deer for a while, until the deer figure out this isn’t a safe place to be, and then the deer move on, and then the wolves,” he said.
There are an estimated 8,000 wolves living in the province.